


ANARCHIST | SWEET PEA

by My_Evak_Heart



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-06-30 17:03:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15756030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Evak_Heart/pseuds/My_Evak_Heart
Summary: After his release from Juvie, Sweet Pea was sent up north to live in a group home in New York.There, he meets Valentina, a girl who reminds him of home in this foreign city.





	1. PROLOGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After checking out a few Sweet Pea stories here and there, I realized they were all similar. I'm not saying they were boring, they were just...too predictable for my taste - I'm a picky reader, sorry not sorry. I'll post the first chapter once Riverdale comes back and will post a new chapter every week. Until then, here's the prologue, xx

Wrapped around a pair of brass knuckles, his fist collided with a jaw, dark irises watching as the skin tore and blood splattered. Satisfaction spread on his face as he watch the Ghoulie lost balance and eventually hit the ground. Most would have stopped their assault and moved on to the next one but Sweet Pea was ruthless when it came to Ghoulies. He only stopped when they were knocked out. The guy tried to get up but received a hard kick in the stomach which had him curl on himself. This kick would, without a doubt, make a massive bruise - and, possibly cause some internal bleeding. 

The brute strength behind those hands have broken bones and left bruises upon others on multiple occasions. Some would say he was greedy for violence, Sweet Pea preferred to say he was _loyal_ and _protective._ Although he loved to watch his opponent crumble in pain, he _never_ fought without a reason. Just a tip: you better run if you ever hurt someone close to his heart because you might be missing teeth when you'll get back up - _if_ you get back up.

Looking back to the extreme damage his hands could and have inflicted, Sweet Pea was grateful to be the one throwing punches rather than being on the receiving end. He was familiar with black eyes and bruises who could be really painful if aimed properly, he couldn't imagine what a broken rib felt like. Call him a masochist but, he _loved_ to look back at the lifelong scars he created on his victim using only the power of his hands.  _I did that,_  he'd tell himself with a satisfied smirk. 

After a night at the Wyrm beating the older Serpent's asses at pool, Sweet Pea headed home. The chill of the late summer air snaked under his flannel as he crossed the parking lot to get to his motorcycle. He knew drinking and driving wasn't safe but he had a couple beers sparingly throughout the night and wasn't even tipsy - an advantage of being so tall and broad. 

The raven haired boy was ready to get on his bike when he heard his name being called. He turned around and saw Fangs out of breath and running in his direction.

Sweet Pea frowned. Wasn't Fangs supposed to be on watch tonight? What is he doing in the Wyrm's parking lot?

Before the taller boy could ask any questions, Fangs opened his mouth. ''The Ghoulies. They got Toni,'' he said, his voice a bit panic-y. 

 _Fuck_. 

Malachai didn't appreciate the pink haired Serpent puncturing the tires of their delivery truck two weeks ago by Sweetwater River. The boys knew it was a matter of time before they made a move on her. 

''You let them take her? You knew they had an eye on her, Fangs! It was only a matter of time before-''

''Of course not. What the fuck?'' Fangs defended. ''We were on watch and a group of Ghoulies ambushed us. We tried to fight them but they outnumbered us and took her. Elijah followed them, they must be heading to their campsite.''

Losing no more time, Sweet Pea hopped on his bike and headed to the Ghoulies's campsite while Fangs went home to grab his bike. The smart thing to do would,ve been to warn FP about the Ghoulies taking Toni - in case they needed backup - but they didn't have time to think smart. They had to save their best friend...and fast. God knows what those fucked up Ghoulies had in mind for her.

Seven minutes later, Sweet Pea pulled up their rival's campsite which was surprisingly vacant beside a dead looking campfire and an old couch. For a second, Sweet Pea was afraid the Ghoulies had gone to their headquarters but, Toni's voice confirmed he was at the right place.

''Touch me once and you'll get your hand cut off,'' her small but menacing voice warned. 

Cutting off his engine, Sweet Pea quickly scanned the campsite. If he heard her voice, she couldn't be that far. And, where was Fangs? And Elijah? Didn't Fangs say he was following the Ghoulies?

''And how exactly do you plan on playing butcher with your hands tied?'' a male voice asked with amusement. 

Then, the guy walked right into Sweet Pea's field of view as he and Toni came out of the mass of trees. To keep his presence secret, Sweet Pea hid behind some trees, keeping an eye on the scene - thank god it was dark out because it wasn't the best hiding spot for his body structure. The denim vest and the black bandana around the Ghoulie's shaved head told Sweet Pea he was the right hand of Malachai: Viktor. He was the one who did all his dirty work for him - no surprise he was the one holding Toni. Sweet Pea has had a couple encounters with the guy before. See that missing tooth on the left? Yeah, Sweet Pea did that - no regrets.

Viktor walked Toni to the old couch Sweet Pea had just passed by and forced her to sit down. He pulled another rope from his pocket and tied her legs too.

From her sitting position, Toni caught a silhouette through the woods. Must be Elijah or Fangs. She smiled.

''I didn't say _I_ would be the one to do it,'' she replied, knowing her friends were close and wouldn't hesitate to jump on him if he tried anyhting. Viktor frowned and Toni nodded at the bunch or trees. ''Looks like we have company.''

The guy turned around and pulled a dirty knife from his pocket, angling it at Toni's throat, making the petite Serpent's eyes fill with terror.

Sensing things were going to far, Sweet Pea decided to come out of his hiding spot. Things could spiral down very fast and he wasn't going to let this scum Ghoulie harm his best friend. 

''Touch her and I'll snap your neck,'' he barked, surprising the two. They had expected to see either Fangs or Elijah, not Sweet Pea. 

Grin on his lips, Viktor stepped behind Toni, knife still under her throat. ''News goes fast around here. Pink Smurfette and I were just starting to have some _fun_ ,'' he said in order to provoke the tall Serpent...which worked.

Jaw clenching, the raven haired boy reached into his jacket's pocket and slide his fingers into the brass knuckle hidden there by precautions. Better to be safe than sorry on Southside. He took a step forward, about to punch Viktor in order to disarm him but the Ghoulie saw clear in his game and didn't budge for some odd reasons. _What?_

''He's not alone,'' Toni warned her friend, knowing if Sweet Pea would've aimed at Viktor, the other Ghoulies would've come out of their hideouts. 

His plan was revealed and needless to say, he was not happy about it. ''Maybe it's your fucking tongue I should slice first,'' he hissed through gritted teeth, taking hold of Toni's jaw and running his blade against her lips and pressing until blood dripped. 

Toni turned her head away from her assaulter to dodge his blade. Although the blade was still dangerously close to Toni's face, it wasn't as life threatening as ten seconds ago. Viktor could puncture her cheek or some other crazy shit but she wouldn't bleed out and die. Her almond eyes caught Sweet Pea's, pleading him to do something. 

Evaluating his choices, Sweet Pea realized it was impossible to get out of here without a fight. 

With one last glance at Viktor, Sweet Pea wrapped his fingers firmly around the brass knuckle. He knew the Ghoulies would catch him before he would get to Viktor and Toni so he must prepare. 

Apparently, the Ghoulies must've been watching the scene because before he could take a step forward, two of them grabbed him from behind, pulling his shoulder back. They tried to put Sweet Pea down from behind but the teenager was swifter and elbowed one of them in the face, sending him back and losing his grip. Freed from one side, Sweet Pea turned around and punched the blond in the face, sending him to the ground. His brunet friend got up and charged, tackling the Serpent to the ground. He aimed at Sweet Pea's face but the raven haired boy blocked his shot and punched him with his other hand, fist firm around the metal fighting weapon. Blood spurted from his mouth but that didn't stop the Ghoulie. He swung at the Serpent's jaw again, this time landing on his face. An horrid taste of iron and salt filled Sweet Pea's mouth, thanks to his newly split lip. 

Viktor watched the scene with amusement as Toni anxiously scanned the woods, praying backup would pull up soon. Although Sweet Pea was fit enough to take down two Ghoulie, she had a feeling Viktor had a secret plan and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it.

Sweet Pea spat blood on the ground before punching Blondie again and again and again until he was knocked out. Just as the guy was K.O., the brunet stood up and snaked an arm around Sweet Pea's neck, pulling him toward him in a rear headlock and squeezed in order to choke him. Little did he know, Sweet Pea has had a lot of practice with this dirty move - it was Fangs's favorite - and could get out of his hold in no time. Smirking, the teenager arched his back forward and turned out to throw the Ghoulie down. The latter groaned in pain, making Sweet Pea's smirk grow just as a bike's motor was heard.

Should've known better than to fight the Serpent's guard dog. 

''Fangs!'' Toni yelled, seeing her friend arrive with his bike, Elijah in the back. 

The amusement in Viktor's face turned to panic as he realized the Serpent were going to win this fight. Sweet Pea had already knocked out two of them and two more Serpents had just pulled up. 

A clapping sound echoed and Sweet Pea looked up to see Malachai making his entrance. ''Well, well. I arrived right on time. The more the merrier,'' Malachai commented with amusement, a piece of his curly hair falling in front of his eye as he talked. 

''We won't be staying for long,'' Fangs responded. ''Two of your boys are on the ground, wouldn't be smart to start a fight, Malachai. We're taking Toni and we're leaving.'' 

Malachai rolled his eyes. ''You Serpents are such a bore!'' He sighed in annoyance. ''Let the bitch go,'' he ordered.

Viktor opened his mouth to question his demand but closed it and let go of the petite Serpent. Elijah went to get Toni but as he was crossing the campsite to get to her, a gun was fired, catching everyone off guard. Both Ghoulies and Serpents looked around, checking if someone had been touched by the bullet. Just as Sweet Pea thought a Ghoulie had been touched, he heard Toni's scream. For a fraction of second he thought she was the one who got touched...but she wasn't.

'' _No!_ ''

Sweet Peas swiftly turned in the direction she was looking and saw Fangs standing, a dark wet patch expanding rapidly on his stomach. _Fangs_. Sweet Pea was in initial shock as he saw his best friend standing there, a bullet in his stomach. He was unable to move for a few seconds, denying the situation.  _No. It couldn't be happening. Not Fangs._

The raven haired boy was snapped back to reality as Fangs's body collided to the floor. He ran over and checked on his friend. Fangs brought his hands to his stomach, staining his fingers with a coat of blood, panic flashing in his eyes. Sweet Pea's reflex was to press on the wound in order to stop the bleeding but an uneasy feeling washed over him at the sight of the blood which didn't make sense given he had been a part of many fights in his life and never once the blood on his hands never made his stomach churn nor flinched at the sight.

Until his _brother_ 's blood was on them. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this prologue and that it peaked your interest (is that what you say?). I might come back and change a few thing but don't forget to leave kudos and comments, I'll see you in October <3
> 
> p.s. Please note, the story will take back a couple months later in New York but, throughout the chapters, you'll see Sweet Pea's past story from Southside to the day he got to New York.


	2. ONE | FREEDOM...OR NOT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending sixteen months in a Juvenile center, Sweet Pea is finally free...or, maybe not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the first chapter of my Sweet Pea fic! I've been working on this one since the end of the summer and I'm so excited to start updating.

**Saturday, November 3rd**

**10:01**

Freedom didn't taste as good as Sweet Pea had anticipated.

The siren went off and the fence of the Juvenile Center were pulled open. Leaves from the surrounding trees were turning red and yellow, covering the parking lot's ground. The last time the raven haired boy was on this side of the fence without the mandatory handcuffs was sixteen months ago and everything was blooming; now, he gets out and everything's dying. 

The guard on the other side of the fence nodded at him in form of goodbye. Sweet Pea returned the gesture and looked up and around the parking lot, searching for familiar faces. He thought his mother would be the one standing on the other side and that he would return to his hometown alongside his best friends.

 _Wrong_.  

Instead, he was met with a tall man with raven hair and glasses he commonly called André - or, according to the law, his social worker from child protective services.

''Where's Mama?'' he asked, skipping on the greetings. 

The man gave Sweet Pea a tight lipped smile. ''She's not coming,'' he replied tardily, not anticipating the teenager's reaction. ''The judge didn't allow her to take you back. They decided you'll be going to a  _group home_.''

The boy's ear perked up. _He said what?_

Group homes were the soil of the foster care system. They'd only send you there as their last resort, aka when no one wanted you. And, once you were in, there was no way back into the system.

Let's be real, foster parents'd rather pick younger kids than a problematic teenagers.

When Sweet Pea was told he'd be spending his last months of teenage years in a group home upstate, he didn't keep to himself and put on a fight. Why placing him in a group home when his parents were still in Riverdale? It didn't make sense. Orphans or kids whom's parents were unfit to take care of them were the one who got sent in foster care.

And, Sweet Pea was none of these things.

Working in the industry for over ten years, Sweet Pea wasn't the first kid André had to announce bad news to. It was a part of his job. And, although he was used to it, it didn't make it easier. His heart still stung when kids were unfairly separated from their loved ones. 

''They've studied your case and did some investigating while you were inside... I won't lie, it wasn't good. Your mother has been declared unfit for your custody and your father- We haven't had any news from him. I tried to make the court change their minds but it was the group home or staying inside till you turn eighteen. After everything that happened I understand the reasoning behind their decision-''

''You don't know shit,'' Sweet Pea interrupted, brow furrowing and jaw clenched. André narrowed his eyes at the teenager, reminding him to control his temper. ''Why can't I go home?'' he asked in a calmer tone.

''You mean in Riverdale?'' André asked. ''I never said you couldn't. I said-''

''I know what you said. I'm not deaf. I just don't understand why I have to be placed in foster care when I'm gonna be eighteen in six months.'' Sweet Pea scoffed. ''I can take care of myself for six months. I've been doing it all my life.''

''I don't doubt that but, unless we find a relative that considered fit by the judge, we can't let you go back to Riverdale. It's the law.''

''The law can go get fucked. I'm not staying in another prison for kids.'' Sweet Pea started walking away from his social worker, making it seems like he was about to take off without him. On the other side of the fence, the warden watched the scene, ready to run after the kid if he were to run away. André didn't even think about going after him. He knew Sweet Pea knew better than that. Running away would only get the police on his ass and he'd return inside.

André sighed. ''It's a  _group home_ , not a-''

''Am I allowed to leave whenever I want?'' André shook his head. ''Then it's a prison.''

.

**10:45**

Group homes didn't have good reputations. Responsibles often opened group homes for the sake of putting their hands on a good handful of money from the governement, not because they wanted to helps kids. As a result, you lived in overcrowded houses where you had to share your room with five other kids - sometimes more. And, don't think that because they are getting a lot of money that they'll spend it on you. Most of the time, the kids were the least of their worries and were left to themselves, underdressed and underfed. There was also a lot of abuse and assault reports in group homes. 

Sure, these were all stereotypes but, as sad as it sounded, a good amount of group homes were like this. 

As they stood on the porch of Sweet Pea's new home, the boy was anticipating the moment André would leave him there. He didn't  _love_  André - he was a pain in the ass most of the time - but André was a kind man. He cared about the kids he was in charge of and always made sure they were safe. Even Sweet Pea. 

The door opened and a tall woman in the mid thirties with blond hair opened the door just as André was about to knock. The two adults chuckled at their timing while Sweet Pea stood there mildly annoyed, his large duffle bag and backpack on his shoulder. André and the woman started a conversation, completely forgetting the tenager's presence until he cleared his throat and brought them back on earth. 

''Sorry. I'm Lorraine. Come on in. The kids and I were waiting for you impatiently.'' Lorraine smiled at him and opened the door wider for them.

Sweet Pea was surprised Lorraine was so welcoming and warm to him. Usually, people look at the raven haired boy like he's the  _antichrist_.

The teenager followed André and Loraine inside, dreading to find out how many kids he'll have to share a room with. Not being a fan of kids, this promised to be  _fun_. It wasn't that sweet Pea  _hated_  kids. He could tolerate them but to an extend. Playing big brother wasn't a problem as long as they weren't screaming and jumping around all day. That was a no-no. And he could say goodbye to privacy with kids. They had an habit of always sticking their noses in other people's stuff. 

To his surprise, the house was quiet as they were guided to the living room where a boy and a girl about Sweet Pea's age were sitting on the large sectional sofa. They stood up when they saw Lorraine arrive.

''Veronica, Danny,'' Lorraine started, her eyes on two teenagers. ''This is Sweet Pea, your new foster brother. He'll be staying with us from now on.''

Sweet Pea blinked, ears creaking. _Brother_? Living under the same roof doesn't make them family. Sweet Pea wanted to tell her to calm down but refrained himself to, knowing André would scold him for being impolite - and he figured getting on Lorraine's bad side on the first day wouldn't play in his favor. Instead, he waved at them awkwardly.

The first to step up was the raven haired girl. ''Welcome home. I'm Veronica,'' she said with a flirty smile as she extended her hands in his direction. She was quite short and sophisticated looking with her pencil skirt and sleeveless maroon top.

Following Veronica's action, Danny stood. ''Danny,'' the boy said, tucking a strand of his long locks behind his ear. 

The boys eyed each other for a few seconds like alpha lions trying to demonstrate their dominance before getting interrupted by André's cell phone. He apologized and explained that he had to leave. Lorraine accompanied André to the door, leaving the three teenagers in the living room.

Sweet Pea frowned, looking around and expecting a mass of children walking into the living room but, nothing. ''Where are the other kids?'' he questioned.

''There aren't. It's only me and Danny,'' Veronica explained. ''And you, now.'' 

''It'll fill up soon though, there's always kids in need of a home,'' Lorraine continued, joining them again. ''I suggest you take your bags upstairs and get settled before lunch. Danny will show you to your room.''  

'' _My_  room? As in, mine only?'' Sweet Pea repeated, just to make sure he heard right.

''For now, at least. When more kids comes, we might make some changes but, until then...it's all yours.'' Lorraine raised an eyebrow, unable to read the look on Sweet Pea's face. ''Is it a problem? You could room with Danny if you want-''

He shook his head. ''No, no. It's not a problem. Quite the contrary. I've been sharing a room with ten people for more than a year, having my own room to myself will be nice.''

.

**11:00**

Dropping his bags on his new bed, Sweet Pea looked around his new bedroom. The first thing that came to his mind was how small and cramped it was in here - thank god he didn't have to share! What else was he expecting, though?  _Everything_  is small and overpriced in New York - beside the pizza but, that's kinda overpriced too. The walls were painted grey and the floor was old wood. Very basic. The twin bed was placed under the window and, at first glance, Sweet Pea knew it would be too small for him - _great_.

He unzipped his duffle bag and emptied it of his clothes on the naked mattress. Flannels, jeans, socks, underwear, tees and his most prized clothing piece: his Serpent jacket. Sweet Pea hadn't been allowed to wear it while he was in Juvie, it felt good to have it back. It was all he had left that reminded him of his roots, of home. 

That and the dog tag around his neck. 

He was miles away, in a new city where _everything_ felt foreign. Although it would feel less foreign in a couple weeks, New York will  _never_ feel like home. Nothing could resemble the belonging feeling his hometown provided him. Riverdale was where all of his best friends were, it was where his family resided. 

 _Only a few months_ , Sweet Pea reminded himself as he grabbed his dog tag, fingers curling around the edges. In six months he'll be eighteen and free to return to Riverdale. He'll be an adult and the child protection services won't be in his legs anymore. 

.

**13:09**

After lunch, Lorraine sat with Sweet Pea in the kitchen and went over all the household rules.

  * Curfew at nine on school nights and eleven on the weekend.
  * All non-residents have to be approved by Lauraine.
  * No violence will be tolerated.
  * No alcohol or drugs are allowed in.
  * No sleepovers.



Beside the curfew, _everything_ was the same as at the Juvenile Center. Thankfully she didn't have dumb rules no stealing knives during eating hours or weekly searches in every sleeping quarters. The guards were assholes and did a mess every fucking time, pulling everything from their personal shelves. And, they _never_ cleaned up after themselves. 

''I've been told you were left to yourself a lot growing up and had little to none house rules but, in this house, we have a few. Otherwise, it would be a _zoo_. Right now I only have three of you so it's easy to handle but where there's more kids...it can quickly get out of control,'' Lauraine explained.

'Left to yourself'? Was she insinuating his mom was a bad parent? Sweet Pea pulled his eyebrows, face hardening defensively. She wasn't the parent of the year, like everyone she had struggles of her own but, she cared about her son and loved him more than anything - and there was far worse parents than her on Southside. Sweet Pea's two doors down neighbor used to let her kids run in the snow barefoot during the middle of winter with no coats or jackets on and another one was always too drunk to hear her newborn crying in his crib. 

Before Sweet Pea could correct her and defend his mother, Lorraine moved on with another subject. ''

''Oh, André informed me you had a cellphone?'' 

Sweet Pea nodded. ''Yeah.''

She demanded his number and for a second Sweet Pea almost gave her a faux number but he knew it would backfire on him if he did that. So he didn't. Lorraine registered his number in her phone and typed a quick 'hello' and a smiley so the teenager would get her number too. ''You must answer my calls at _all times_. Don't worry, I'm not gonna be the annoying guardian who calls every ten minutes when you're out,'' she joked. 

A creaking sound was heard and soon Veronica entered the kitchen. Not knowing if she was interrupting, she stayed silent, waiting until Lorraine noticed her to speak.

''Yes, dear?''

''May I invite the girls over tonight? I know we have a no-going-out rule when a new resident arrives but Emma's boyfriend just broke up with her and she need all of her friends' support.''

''I'm sorry for your friend but, rules are rules, Veronica,'' the blonde woman reminded her. ''Tonight we'll be pulling out the board games. You can invite them tomorrow.''

.

**19:43**

Board games were as boring as Sweet Pea remembered. Lucky for him, Lorraine had a closet _full_ of board games.

Veronica insisted they started with _Scrabble_  to prove her intelectual side and Sweet Pea quickly understood that _Scrabble_ wasn't his forte. _Battleship_  is much easier and required less brain. Everyone had jumped the one hundred score while he had yet to pass the fifties...  

Back home, his Saturday nights consisted of drinking beers and playing pool with his friends at the Whyte Wyrm. Sometimes they'd play video games at Fangs's but most nights, they were at the Wyrm. Although it smelled funny and the bathrooms were not the cleanest, Sweet Pea missed it a _lot_. It was the Serpents's favorite hang out place - and they served alcohol to minors.

He doubted there was places like that in New York. 

Between two games of _Scattergories_ , Lorraine got up and went to the bathroom, leaving the kids to themselves.

''So, what do you think of New York so far?'' Veronica asked, batting her lashes at him once they heard the bathroom door closing.

''He just got here today,'' Danny reminded her but she ignored him.

Sweet Pea shrugged. ''I'm not a city person,'' he replied although he _never_ left Riverdale. 

The raven haired girl smirked flirtatiously. ''I bet I can make you change your mind.''

.

**21:11**

After their game of _Sorry_ , Lorraine had asked the boys to take the trash out. Little did Sweet Pea know the Danny would try to play matchmaker with him.

''I'll give you a heads up: you're totally Ronnie's type,'' Danny informed as he sorted the trash into their respective bins. Blue for recycling and black for actual trash. 

Sweet Pea arched an eyebrow, dropping another cardboard box into the blue recycling bin. ''Who?'' 

''Veronica.'' 

 _Of course_. He should've known that Ronnie was a short for Veronica. 

Why was Danny giving him an heads up on Veronica though? Did he think he needed help in the girls departement? Or, was this a test? As Danny was showing him around the house, he recall seeing photos of them on his wall. Were the two dating? No. Lorraine said they were all  _foster siblings_  and isn't it illegal to date your foster sibling? A social worker would've retired one of them from the group home if it were the case. Unless they weren't foster siblings but  _real siblings_. 

''Good news for you, she's  _not_  my type. You can drop the protective brother act,'' Sweet Pea reassured the boy, leaving him completely dumbstruck.

''Who- I never- Did Lorraine tell on me?''

''It was easy to figure out.. Either she was your girlfriend and you were testing me or you were looking out for her.'' 

''You're smart, man,'' Danny congratulated with a smile, pointing at Sweet Pea. ''But, I don't understand. I thought all bad boys went for the good girls?''

Sweet Pea shrugged. ''Looks like I'm the exception.''

They continued to sort the trash in silence and as though the time was ticking, the sky stayed the same. Or, at least, that's the illusion it gave Sweet Pea because when he looked up, the sky was filled with stars and the moon had gotten brighter. It was so weird. Looking around, you could swear it was around six o'clock when it really was nine o'clock. Maybe it was why New York was commonly refered to as the city that never sleeps? Because all its bright lights gave you the illusion it was the day even in the middle of the night.

New York was  _so_  different than Riverdale. 

Sweet Pea had only been there for half a day and he could already see a big difference between the two. Although Brooklyn was more laidback that Manhattan, it was no Riverdale. The rundown trailers were replaced by brick buildings; the gravel streets by busy roads and crowded sidewalks. The cabs outnumbered the motorcycles and everyone walked with a purpose. 

''Why did you try to set me up with Veronica? Do you think she's not able to fend for herself?'' Sweet Pea asked. He get that Danny was protective of his sister but he didn't have to do everything for her. She wasn't an idiot.

''Ronnie's not very smart when it comes to boys she likes. She always fall for the assholes. I'm just looking out for her,'' Danny explained.

''What's that supposed to mean?''

''Take it as a compliment.''

Sweet Pea nodded absentmindedly. ''Who said I wasn't an asshole?'' he said back with a smirk.

.

**Sunday, November 4th**

**8:30**

Sweet Pea's plan to sleep in on Sunday was ruined by brunch day. Although he was happy to fill his stomach with a handful of bacon, hashbrowns and pancakes - a nice change form the usual eggs and toasts they served every mornings at Juvie - , waking up before ten o'clock sucked. To add to his sufferance, everyone had to participate to the preparation of brunch... _yay_.

They just sat down and started filling their plates when Lorraine got a call. She excused herself and left the three teenagers to themselves in the kitchen. 

''How long have you been here for?'' Sweet Pea asked the twins before diving into his pancakes drowned in maple syrup.

''Almost two years,'' Danny replied. 

Sweet Pea frowned, confused. ''I thought this was a _temporary_ place?'' 

Before her brother could reply, Veronica stepped in. ''Daddy made sure we wouldn't be put into the system while he was in  _prison_.''

Unlike most, it wasn't the mention of prison that alarmed Sweet Pea but the use of _Daddy_ to refer her father. Millennials had dirtied this innocent word and installed an unspoken rule about people older than ten years old should _not_ refer to their father as Daddy. Looks like Veronica didn't get the memo.

''You've probably heard of our dear father. Hiram Lodge. Rings a bell?''

''No. Not really?''

Never been one to follow the news or read the newspaper, Sweet Pea had no idea who Danny was talking about. He had never heard of Hiram Lodge before today.

''He was incriminated with fraud and multiple counts of embezzlement,'' Danny continued, much to his sister's dismay.

Unlike Veronica, Danny didn't buy their father's bullshit. He didn't believe Hiram was innocent either. You aren't accused of fraud out of nowhere. Men like Hiram Lodge who bathed in money were rarely part of legal businesses only, most of them had criminal empires. 

''Will you stop making Daddy sound like a criminal?'' Veronica demanded before turning to Sweet Pea. ''He's a good person, don't listen to my brother. He's pissy because I'm Daddy's favorite and not him.''

''He ruined tons of families' lives, Ronnie. If he were such a good person he wouldn't have scammed them money and lied about his business.''

Sensing the fight building between the two, Sweet Pea changed subject. It was too early to hear people arguing and screaming at each other.

''I won't be staying here for long.''

''How come?'' Danny asked. ''It's nice to not be alone with women anymore.'' 

Veronica kicked her brother under the table and he laughed. 

''I'll be eighteen in six months,'' Sweet Pea explained. ''They can't keep me longer.'' 

''We should leave soon too,'' Veronica informed, a confident smile on her lips. ''Daddy's trial should be over very soon and then we will return home.''

Her brother raised a quationning eyebrow. ''Are you certain? The last time I heard from him he wasn't close to be released from prison. His lawyer talked about being moved to a new penitentiary.''

''Daddy _will_  come back for us. He promised,'' the raven haired girl insisted.

Danny snorted. ''And he's known for keeping his promises...''

Veronica narrowed her eyes at her twin. ''He will. I know it,'' she pressed, a pinch of uncertainty in her voice.

In response, Danny rolled his eyes and turned back to Sweet Pea, starting a conversation about their shared interest for  _Sons of Anarchy_ which was Danny's favorite show which was amusing given Sweet Pea's old lifestyle resembled the show. 

.

**19:41**

He met  _her_  on Sunday. Veronica had invited a few friends over and she was one of them.

Sitting on his bed, Sweet Pea was going over some schoolwork he needed to hand in tomorrow morning, aka his first day back to school. After being home schooled at the Juvenile Center for more than a year, it felt weird to go back to an actual school building. He would start as a senior and retake a couple junior classes like Maths, English and Biology because he sucked at those and needed better grades if he wanted to get enough credits to graduate in June.

Danny had left right after dinner for a friend's house to play video games. He had asked Sweet Pea if he'd like to tag along but with school starting again tomorrow, he better finish his work. Said like this, he sounded studious but he was not. Sweet Pea would've rather joined Danny and his friend than stay in his bedroom and do schoolwork but, he knew André would get on his back if his schoolwork wasn't done and handed in tomorrow. So, he declined the offer.

The girls had arrived while Sweet Pea was in his room, therefore he hadn't met them but they were starting to get on his nerves. He could hear them laughing loudly in Veronica's bedroom and it was very irritating and distracting. Did they need to be so loud? Sweet Pea could literally hear  _everything_  they were saying. The walls were very, _very_ thin here.

If only he had brought his headphones in his bags he could've blocked their voices out and concentrate on his work but, of course, he had to forget them in Riverdale. Very bright Sweet pea... 

After half an hour of trying and trying, he came to a conclusion that it wasn't going to happen and stood up to use the bathroom. He'll do his work later...when they'd leave. 

Pushing his bedroom door open, the teenage boy stepped into the hallway, rolling his eyes as he heard Veronica say something about how she hated her thin lips and needed to get them done right before another girl went on about her 'inexistent' boobs.

 _Ugh, girls_...

Sweet Pea turned the handle of the bathroom and it opened to a scene the raven haired boy thought he had gotten away from. 

A girl was standing in the middle of the bathroom, hunched over the bathroom counter, her long ginger hair cascaded down her back as she plugged a nostril, snorting the white powder through the other one.  

.

**22:27**

After witnessing what he saw in the bathroom, he couldn't think about anything else. It made his heart ache to see to know a beautiful girl like her was destroying her life with chemicals substances like cocaine. Sweet Pea wouldn't have cared if it was weed but cocaine was a hard drug and it was so easy to overdose on that and die. Plus, you never know what shit they put in it.

The girls left around ten-thirty and Veronica escorted them to the front door. Sweet Pea's door was opened and he called for the raven haired girl as she passed in front of his doorway and told her to come in. 

Although he was dying to know the redhead's name, he had to be subtle about it. He couldn't bluntly say that he wanted to put a name on the banging redhead I caught ruining her life in our bathroom. No. Plus, he had a feeling that Veronica ignored her friend's drug use. Otherwise, why would she have gone to the bathroom to do a line? 

''Are you nervous for tomorrow? I know _I_  was when I changed school,'' Veronica said with a light chuckle. ''The move from Manhattan to Brooklyn wasn't easy. Daddy had just been incarcerated and it was all everyone was talking about. My cover was blown the second I walked in.''

Sweet Pea. Nervous to go to a new school?  _Ha!_

The boy snickered. ''Erm, no,'' he replied. ''Who were the girls that just left? You skipped presentations.''

''Oh my god, I'm so sorry!'' she realized. ''I totally intended to but I saw your door was shut when they arrived so I didn't want to disturb you.'' Veronica sat on the edge of his bed, uninvited, and turned on her cell phone, looking for pictures of her girl friends. ''The blond one is Emma and the redhead is Valentina,'' she explained, pulling up pictures of the respective girls. 

''Wait. You were only three in there?'' Sweet Pea ask, astonished. ''I swore you were five or something.''

Veronica chuckled. ''Us girls are very loud. Sorry. Did we bother you?''  

''You sure kept me entertained. I love being informed about Damien cheating on Bianca and the STD scare Emma had this morning.''

The girl's cheeks flushed with embarassement, realizing he must've heard about the sex dream she had about him last night. Luckily for her, Sweet Pea had missed that one. ''We'll try to be quieted next time,'' she promised with blushing cheeks. ''There high chances you see them in the halls at school. I'll introduce you to them tomorrow if you'd like.''

''Yeah, sure.''

''Now I better go and get ready for bed. Even if us Lodges have good genes, a girl needs all her beauty sleep. Good night, Sweet Pea.'' 

''Night.'' 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it. Don't forget to leave kudos and comments, xx
> 
> Thoughts on Veronica 'flirting' with Sweet Pea? Sweet Pea walking in on Valentina doing drugs?


End file.
